Where to start. This was a fantastic vacation but lets face it we didn't go to just go have fun and relax. This vacation had a purpose. Bare with me (and I apologize if I make anyone else cry) I didn't cry when I heard the news, except when Brianna cried, I didn't cry when we spread the ashes but for some reason I feel the tears wanting to come out now as I relive being at the ocean and feeling the freezing cold water on my feet as I slowly let the ashes fall from my hand.
She was the last grandparent alive and she held on for way to long. She fought a great battle but we knew she needed to end her pain long before she finally did. Not that she actually ended herself but she finally stopped fighting the pain and went home. December 10, 2015 the Davis clan lost their mother/grandmother Sheila Ann Click. As Jason put it she was a small person with a big fiery attitude. I remember when she would come to visit I would think yay grandparents are here time to con them into getting me things. I heard from my friends that their grandparents always brought them stuff or would go shopping with them for toys or whatever. Not my grandma :) she would take me to the store and then say now look we aren't shopping for you we are shopping for me. Of course it really only happened a couple of times, when our grandparents were snowbirds.
Anyways, after I don't know how many years the dogs were finally spread in the ocean. And just a couple days before it'd been 11 years after Grandpa died and on what would have been her 77 birthday, we spread their ashes.
Its hard to see but of course I had to make hearts with everyone's initials
Well now that we spread the ashes it was time to do some sight seeing and take in what San Simeon had to offer (which wasn't much).
We drove up to Hearst castle. Now I actually don't have any pictures of the castle but I can always add them later and republish this if I get them. The tours of that place have definelty changed from when I went in high school. Its 45 minutes of 3 rooms basically and then you get to walk around the castle grounds by yourself. One thing kind of sucked.. the Neptune pool was missing statues due to trying to restore them and the pool was empty due to trying to fix a problem of it leaking around 5,000 gallons of water per day. It is not set in ground but rather above so the "park" is working with the family to figure out the best way to fix the problem.
The next place we went was to an elephant seal viewing spot. It was pretty neat to see. Of course they were all just really laying around but still it was neat to see them blubber (my word for their movement) up onto the beach and then cover themselves with sand to keep themselves cool. And on occasion you got to hear them talk (or grunt rather). It is molting season for them.
That night everyone but Grandpa Scott or dad went to the beach until the bugs to heavy.
The next day we drove north to Santa Cruz to have some fun at the Board walk. After what seemed like an eternity to find a parking spot we got to :) Pictures will be added later. I haven't downloaded my phone yet. The only picture that is missing is one that we would have had to get from the roller coaster picture station. Preston face is priceless and one picture that isn't even meant for him has him in the corner trying to get one more shot!! Or at least that what it looks like. But I am going to let the rest of the pictures speak for themselves when they get added :).
Over all it was a nice get away and start to our summer! But I will say I will not be flying with small children for a long time. The kids overall did great but travel makes you tired and when you have 3 tired kids and 4 tired adults, no one is happy.
.
